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NiTED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

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PATENT PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,966, dated July 28,1903.

Application led January 17| 1903. Serial No. 139,475. (No model.)

To all whom it nury concern.-

Beit known that I, CECIL VILHELM ScHoU, a subject of the King ofDenmark, residing at v Copenhagen,Denmark, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to projectiles or bullets provided with materialadapted to develop smoke or light, `or both, when they come in contactwith the target or any other obstruction in their path.

The object of the invention is to .enable the gunner to determine therange, this being possible by reason of the fact that the smoke or flashcreated at theimpact of the projectile l"shows whether it falls short oroverreaches thereto, preferably at its forward end, a fragmeans forprotecting the capsule against frac-- ture from the shock of discharge,and Figs. 4

.and 5 illustrate further modifications.

The bullet or projectile itself may consist of the usual body a, of leador other material, and may have the usual conical formation at theforward end.

b indicates a capsule which I may apply to the forward end of the bulletin any exposed manner, so that it will be shattered when the bulletstrikes a reasonably hard object. This capsule may be made of thin sheetmetal or glass and inserted into an orifice adapted to receive it inthe' body of the bullet and with one end projecting to make contact withthe object struck. The capsule contains a quantity of any substanceadapted to become iniianied when exposed to the atmospheresuch, forinstance, as zinc-ethyl, the combustion of which produces a flash oflight and a dense smoke visible a long distance; The capsule may be heldin place when necessary by -a sheath c of sheet metal, in which theprojectile may be incased and which may have an openingat its forwardend, through which the point of the capsule will project.

In the formation shown in Fig. 2 the special casingfor the capsule isomitted, the inflammable material being placed directly in a chamber e,formed partially by a cavity in the forward end of the projectile andpartially by the sheath c, which covers the cavity and is of su icientlyfragile construction to give way when the projectile strikes and exposethe inflammable material to the atmosphere. Such a chamber for theindammable material is preferably filled by means of a passage e',leading rearward through a projectile, which after the iilling operationis closed by a suitable plug e2.

Fig. 3 shows a method of sustaining a capsule when it is made ofspecially fragile material, such as glass, which needs protectionagainst the shock imparted to it when discharged from the gun. In thisinstance the cavity in the bullet which receives the capsule is linedwith a soft cushioning material f, such as soft rubber or a mixture ot'glycerin and glue.

Fig. 4 illustrates a means for exposing the inflammable material whenthe projectile strikes without necessarily fracturing the container.This consists in making the container or capsule in the form of a cup g,which is inverted and fixed tightly over the forward end of theprojectile, the latter havingaslight depression, if desired, which isinclosed by the cup and in which is placed a fulminate cap g'. The cup gcarries a needle or firingpin g2, which is driven against the fulminatewhen the projectile strikes, causing a slight IOO explosion, whichdrives off the cup, exposes f the contents to the atmosphere, and firesthe same.

Fig. 5 shows a.construction which diers 5 slightly .from Fig. 4 in thatthe inverted cup 'contains a fragile sealed glass tube h, con'- tainingthe liquid zinc-ethyl. The fracture i of this tube exposes its contentsto the atmosfphere and, becoming inamed, sets fire to o the surroundingmaterial, which, though not o at the impact.

When any of these types of projectile are fired from a gun, the smokedeveloped at the impact will clearly show to the gunner where theprojectile strikes and he can adj ust the sights of the gun accordingly.If the firing is done at night, the Hash which also occurs at the impactgives the same information.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A projectile or bullet forfirearms in coma bination with a fragile capsule containing asmoke-developing material and carried in or upon the projectile orbullet.

2. A projectile or bullet frrearms in composed to the atmosphere, saidcapsule being` located in said chamber and exposed at the forward end ofthe projectile.

4. A projectile or bullet having at its forward end a chamber or cavitylined with a cushioning material, in combination with a. capsule offragile material located in said chamber and containing material capableof developing smoke -when exposed to the atmosphere.

5. The combination with a projectile or bullet provided with a chambercontaining material adapted'to generate a smoke when exposed to theatmosphere and means for exposing said material at the impact of theprojectile.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CECIL 'VILHELM SCHOU.

